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convert a luger?

Spartacus
I know you can convert a 9mm to .30 luger with a barrel change and magazine spring changes, but can i convert a .30 luger 1908 to 9mm?
just bought a nice .30 luger (a shooter, NOT collectible) and i only have about 100 rounds of .30 luger ammo. don't really want to start reloading .30 and i have a large surplus of 9mm on hand.
can this conversion be done?
thanks
tom

EDIT:
quote:if it is a P08 it was a 9mm to start with, rebarrelled to .30 under Versailles limitations

thanks, i believe that's what i have. it's a 1908 DWM which i think was rebarreled to .30 later on. I saw a 9mm luger barrel for cheap on the auction side. what else do i need?
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Hawk Carse
    Yes, if it is a P08 it was a 9mm to start with, rebarrelled to .30 under Versailles limitations.
    Might be hard to find somebody to do it. From what I have READ, the barrels are very tight in the upper reciever and you really need good tools to change them without bending the gun.
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  • HAIRY
    Why not just buy a barreled receiver in 9mm? That way you will have the ability to shoot both calibers.

    You may need to change the mainspring to accommodate the 9mm so it extracts the spent round correctly.

    The magazine will handle both 9mm and the .30 without any change necessary.
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  • Spartacus
    quote:Why not just buy a barreled receiver in 9mm?

    because i'm too stupid to have thought about that![:(]
    I'll go over to the auction side and see what's available.
    this is my first luger, but i've wanted one ever since i shot my cousins 30 yrs ago! just never found one that was half decent that i could afford.
    any good references that i could read up on lugers?
    thanks
    tom

    EDIT:
    well, the only barreled receiver i find on GB is $275!! I only paid $750 for the gun and $50 for the 9mm barrel. i'll keep looking.
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  • Herschel
    The book LUGERS AT RANDOM by Kenyon is a good reference book.
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  • TRAP55
    Another option, He does Broomhandles, have to call and ask about a P-08 re-bore, excellent work too!
    http://www.redmansrifling.com/mauser.htm
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  • Tailgunner1954
    Tplumeri
    I might still have a 4" 9mm barrel at home, if you want it, and I can locate it, I'll mail it to you. Drop me a reminder e-mail near the end of the week (I won't be home until the weekend).
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  • p3skyking
    There is much bogus info here.
    The original caliber for a Parabellum was 7.65mm, what you are calling .30 Luger. The Swiss were happy with it so all was well around 1900 when they adopted it. In 1904, the German Navy also adopted the Parabellum in 7.65mm.

    The German Army also wanted a new pistolen to replace the Reichsrevolver and wanted a larger caliber than 7.65mm. Georg Luger opened up the case to 9mm and the Germans adopted it in 1908, hence P.08.
    To standardise, the Navy switched over to 9mm Parabellum.

    To change the 7.65 Parabellum to 9mm, you only need to change the barrel. The same magazine works for either caliber.

    A good book for newbie's and even some oldsters is The Luger Story by John Walter. Kenyons' book Lugers at Random is good for a guy with a interest in aquiring a few pieces. Jan Stills' books, Imperial Lugers, Third Reich Lugers, Weimar Lugers, and Axis Pistols are must have's for serious collectors.
    There's a wealth of "Luger" books out there, some have good info, some are just a rehash of errors and not worth the paper they're printed on.
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  • p3skyking
    quote:Originally posted by TRAP55
    Another option, He does Broomhandles, have to call and ask about a P-08 re-bore, excellent work too!
    http://www.redmansrifling.com/mauser.htm


    Traps,
    I had Redman redo a C96 that had a poor bore and pitted chamber. It was so pitted that cases would fireform and get stuck. Redman sleeved the barrel and chamber back to 7.63 and it shoots wondeful. You are correct about his work on Broomhandles. [:)]
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  • Spartacus
    thanks all for the info. i always get the info i need here![:)]
    I think i'll go the "new" barrel route. I'm alittle worried because i hear that getting the old barrel off can be a chore. i don't have a smith within 150 miles here. maybe i can mail the gun and barrel to redman (thanks traps!).
    also, thanks all for the book rec's. i really didn't need another gun to get interested in (haven't come close to finishing the colt collection yet!), but i thing that this won't be my only luger.[;)]
    hey bob, thanks for the offer! if you find it, let me know what you want for it. I'll email you later in the week.
    thanks again all
    tom
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  • givette
    I believe the O.D. of the 30 barrel is smaller than the 9mm. If so, then skotch the idea of re-boring to 9mm.

    My take: I'd wait for a barrel/upper assembly (or stripped) for sale, then jump on it. Find out if the recoil spring on both 30 and 9mm are the same rate, otherwise you'll have to change that, also. Best, Joe
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  • HAIRY
    quote:Originally posted by givette
    I believe the O.D. of the 30 barrel is smaller than the 9mm. If so, then skotch the idea of re-boring to 9mm.

    My take: I'd wait for a barrel/upper assembly (or stripped) for sale, then jump on it. Find out if the recoil spring on both 30 and 9mm are the same rate, otherwise you'll have to change that, also. Best, Joe
    Wolff Springs offers a 3 piece set so one can adjust the mainspring to the ammo. It's fairly easy to change them out (see Lugerforum.com).
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